Muir Woods National Monument is filled with glorious Coastal Redwoods and is perfect for exploring. I published a post last May titled California Dreaming, which highlighted multiple national parks on our trip. This post is an expansion of that to highlight Muir Woods specifically. Through this more detailed post, I hope to give you all the info you’ll need to make a trip of your own to Muir Woods.
We visited Muir Woods in December 2019 as part of our larger California adventure. The goal of the trip was to see as many national parks or protected areas as possible, so it felt essential to see Muir Woods while we were in Northern California. This protected area is an easy day trip from many locations around the Bay Area.
Muir Woods Basics
The old growth coastal redwoods in Muir Woods will easily enchant you. The park is located in the middle of the redwood range from the California-Oregon border all the way down to Big Sur. There are many different types of plants, animals and birds within it that are all worth exploring. However, the giant coastal redwoods found throughout really steal the show. The climate in the coastal redwood forest is usually cool and dry during the summer and wet in winter months.
Walking the trails at Muir Woods National Monument.
Muir Woods requires you to purchase a parking permit prior to arrival. I booked our parking pass a few months out to be safe. When reserving, you chose a 30 minute window to arrive. I would recommend getting your parking pass as soon as possible once you know your trip dates. Additionally, you can book shuttle passes and your entrance ticket to the park through the same company.
To enter you will need to pay the entrance fee, which is separate from parking. You can also enter using your America the Beautiful pass. This is what we did.
Breathtaking views around the trails of the park.
Getting There and Away
Muir Woods is located in the San Francisco Bay Area in the city of Mill Valley. The parkcan be accessed via car from most areas, as well as by shuttle bus from Sausalito, Marin City and the Pohono Park and Ride. Due to it’s popularity, you will need to book your shuttle and parking reservation ahead of time at gomuirwoods.com.
What to Do
Go on a Hike!
Trails around Muir Woods National Monument.
The most obvious and fun thing to do in Muir Woods is to walk around the trails and view the beautiful coastal redwoods. There are a few easy trails from the park entrance that range in time and distance. According to the park page, there are three loops, each one a half hour longer than the next for a total of 6 miles and one and a half hours.
Trails within the park are well marked and follow along the redwood giants. If you would like to hike for longer, there are options to break out to adjoining trails that offer a birds eye views of the area. Plan to bring some snacks and spend half a day hiking around and breathing in the fresh air.
Yosemite National Park is a wonderful place for hiking, exploring and camping. I published a post last May titled California Dreaming, which highlighted multiple national parks on our trip. This post is an expansion of that to highlight Yosemite specifically. Through this more detailed series, I hope to give you all the info you’ll need to make a trip of your own.
We visited Yosemite National Park in December 2019 and loved seeing the park in winter. Yosemite is one of those places that lives up to all the hype that you hear about it. While we only got to spend three days and two nights in Yosemite, I could have easily spent weeks there. It is truly mesmerizing. I recommend at least one visit, but hopefully many.
Views of Yosemite Valley.
Yosemite National Park Basics
The 1,200 square mile park is California’s most popular national park and there is no question as to why. It is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California and sits 195 miles from San Francisco, 176 miles from Sacramento and 313 miles from Los Angeles.
Yosemite is well known for the ancient and majestic sequoia trees that populate the park. Not to mention the dome rocks that tower over you as you enter the valley floor alongside the many waterfalls and meadows found throughout. Elevation in the park ranges from about 2,000 feet to 13,000 feet. Yosemite experiences large amounts of precipitation from October to May, with snow covering the park throughout winter.
There is an entry fee to visit the park, or you can use your America the Beautiful parks pass for covered entry. During the 2021 season you will need a reservation to enter. Make your reservation on Recreation.gov well in advance as the time slots are likely to be booked up quickly.
You can drive to Yosemite via the south, west and north. The most common routes are from the San Francisco area, as well as from the Los Angeles area. It is advisable to use the park shuttle bus once you are inside the park due to all the traffic. Note that the shuttle is not running in 2021. There is also a YARTS bus that can also take you from Yosemite to the train station. YARTS travels east to Mammoth Lakes, west to Fresno and north to Sonora.
Crossing the Tejon Pass going north.
For our trip, we drove north to Yosemite from Los Angeles. There can be a lot of traffic, so we planned to leave by 5am to avoid it. Even though a 4am wake up call sounds rough, it is highly advisable if you are leaving from Southern California.
We drove out on the empty darkened LA freeways and hit the Tejon Pass by dawn. As we climbed the pass, daylight started to creep in, exposing the snow covered hillsides along the highway. We had lucked out, the pass was just a few days out of being shut down completely from a snow storm. The car crested the ridge and we rode into the valley below as the storied California farmlands fanned out on both sides. This eventually made way to a mountainous forested area that meandered into the national park.
Where to Stay
Our cabin in the Curry Village at Yosemite NP.
For our visit to Yosemite, we opted to stay inside the park in one of their lodges. While they are a bit more pricey, it was very much worth it to be able to reach the trails from your door. If you stay outside the park, you will have to queue up each day with a long line of cars. We stayed our first night in a cabin in Curry Village and our second night at the Yosemite Valley Lodge. Both were beautiful in their own way, with Curry Village more rustic and Yosemite Valley Lodge a step up in decor and price.
There are 13 campgrounds in the park, which you can review here. You will need to make a camping reservation on Recreation.gov well in advance of your stay. Those looking to splurge should check out Yosemite’s most famed lodge, the historic Ahwahnee.
What To Do
There is much to be said about Yosemite’s many opportunities for adventure that can’t all fit here. The most common activities are taking a hike, going on a wilderness tour and a whole range of active sports such as trail running, biking, fishing and horseback riding. I have highlighted what we did below.
Mirror Lake, Yosemite National Park
Go for a Hike
Prior to heading to Yosemite, I recommend looking up some of their trails and hikes. There is a great transit system that drops off visitors at most trailheads throughout the park, making everything more accessible without a car. The Yosemite Conservatory also offers tours that can take you to see some of the key highlights.
Since we were there for such a short time, we ended up doing trail runs on hiking trails to see more of the park. We checked out the Valley Loop Trail, Lower Falls Trail, and Mirror Lake Trail. Also, it was winter when we visited so a number of the trails were closed. Before you go, check out the park’s hiking page, which has a ton of information.
Go for a Run
Our first trail run was on the Mirror Lake Trail, which offered an enchanting setting around a lake and allowed us to leave from our doorstep in the Curry Village. We did an 8 mile trail run, but you can also do much shorter hikes from the trailhead. See our Strava outline below.
Mirror Lake Trail out and back run from Curry Village.
Yosemite trail running
On our second day, I ran solo around the Valley Loop Trail. This trail was mostly paved, with parts of the run in more remote areas of the valley. I was petrified the entire time that I would come across a bear, but thankfully that did not happen! Even still, it was a great way to check out the valley in the early, misty morning while most people were still sleeping. See the Strava route below.
Yosemite valley loop trail solo run.
On our last morning, we took a run around the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail. We got out early to avoid the tour buses and crowds at the falls. Because of this, we were completely alone. Such a treat in this often crowded park! It felt special to have the place all to ourselves with the valley dew in the air.
Take Some Photographs
Us posing awkwardly at Yosemite Valley Falls.
There are a lot of opportunities for beautiful photography in Yosemite. Ansel Adams Gallery offers photography classes and some of the other tours also offer chances for great photography. We took a lot of photos just walking around the Lower Yosemite Falls trail, which is a popular spot for visitors. But really, just get out there in the park and you will find so many inspiring views.
What Next?
Running the Mirror Lake Trail.
If you want ideas for outdoor places to visit, read my other posts to see what adventures await nearby. If you are in California, I highly recommend you making Joshua Tree National Park part of your trip. I recommend reading my posts about the beautiful state of New Mexico, the Grand Canyon or about Rocky Mountain National Park.
As we slowly start thinking about traveling closer to home, I have created a series that includes some outdoor places that are perfect for hiking, camping and exploring. Joshua Tree National Park is one of those places that hits all the boxes. I had originally wrote about Joshua Tree in a longer post that I published last May titled California Dreaming. I am expanding upon my earlier post to highlight this national park and give you all the info to make a visit.
When we visited Joshua Tree in December 2019, I hadn’t been in many years and I had forgotten just how magical it was. This park is a must see in California and you should definitely try to make a trip here. Not only is it beautiful, but visiting will change how you feel about the desert.
Exploring the trails of Joshua Tree National Park.
Joshua Tree National Park Basics
Joshua Tree National Park is an 800,000 acre park that is located just 140 miles east of Los Angeles in Southern California. The park sits where the Mohave Desert and the Colorado Desert meet. It is filled with cacti, trees, shrubs, lizards and other desert dwelling plants, birds and animals. More information about the history and make-up of Joshua Tree can be found here and here. There is a fee to enter the park or you can use your America the Beautiful parks pass for entry.
I recommend arriving early if you are visiting during the winter season. There are limited parking spots at the popular trail heads and you will want to beat the crowds. There are not many water facilities inside the park, so bring lots of water. It is essential to prepare yourself with all you will need in the park and pack layers of clothing. When we visited in December, the temperatures were quite cold and we wore our jackets the entire time.
Joshua Tree National Park is located about 140 miles east of Los Angeles, 175 miles from San Diego and 215 miles from Las Vegas. It is accessible via car and you can fly to one of the nearby cities and drive from there. There are three entrances to the park. The west entrance is at Joshua Tree Village and the north entrance is at Twentynine Palms. There is also a south entrance at Cottonwood Springs.
Joshua Tree National Park
Where to Stay
There are two small towns in Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms where most of the lodging is located near the park entrances. I would recommend staying in the Joshua Tree area, as that was where most of the restaurants and amenities were. We stayed both nights at an Airbnb in a fairly remote location on the outskirts of Joshua Tree. You can also stay farther out, but it will make beating the crowds at the park entrances much harder.
Additionally, there are five campgrounds within the park that offer basic camping options and can be reserved in advance at Recreation.gov. There are also a number of camping options outside of the park.
What to Eat
I was surprised to see that there are a decent amount of food options in the area despite being in the middle of the desert. Some top restaurants are in Joshua Tree, as well as a few in Twentynine Palms. We ate at Pie for the People! and were surprised how much we loved it. You can also try some hot spots around the park. Since we visited over the holidays we had less options, but in general there are many yummy choices to choose from.
Sunset over the park.
Joshua Tree Hiking and exploring
Joshua Tree is huge and there are lots of things to do, including many great hikes for all activity levels. While we weren’t able to do any trail runs in Joshua Tree, we did a series of short and easy hikes on our visit. We went to the following places based on various recommendations.
Hidden Valley Nature Trail
We started at the Hidden Valley Nature Trail. This mile loop trail was an easy and beautiful hike. It is great for the whole family and didn’t take too long to complete.
Hidden Valley Nature Trail hike.
Miguel at the Hidden Valley Trail.
Barker Dam Trail
The Barker Dam Trail was another easy 1 mile loop hike. We took this hike easy and we got to see the historic Barker Dam. Overall it was a very relaxed hike with some cool views.
Joshua Tree National Park hiking on the Barker Dam Trail.
Ryan Mountain Trail
The Ryan Mountain Trail was a slightly more difficult three mile out and back hike up Ryan Mountain. It was was moderately strenuous with spectacular views and a must see if you are up for it.
Views from the Ryan Mountain Trail.
Skull Rock Trail
We stopped by the Skull Rock Trail, which is an easy loop directly off the park road. We did a quick pitstop here and we didn’t hike the full trail. It felt like more of a highly overrated IG hype location and not necessary to stop.
Skull Rock
Cholla Cactus Garden
The Cholla Cactus Garden is near the north entrance of the park. It offers an easy walk around the unique cacti and was one of my favorite areas that we visited. It was a bit of drive from the other hikes, but it was completely worth it. There is a partly paved path that follows a short trail around the garden. It is very popular, i.e. crowded, but for good reason.
Miguel in the Cholla Cactus Garden.
What Next?
If you are in the Southern California area, I highly recommend you making Joshua Tree National Park part of your trip. If you want ideas for outdoor places to visit, read my other posts to see what adventures await nearby. I recommend reading my posts about the beautiful state of New Mexico, the Grand Canyon or our trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.
Standing near the Twentynine Palms entrance to the park.
Corfu is a stunning island. After spending time in the Cycladic Islands and then heading to Athens, Corfu was quite the pleasant surprise. As an island, it has a much more lush and thriving landscape full of mesmerizing sights. While the other islands we visited were gorgeous, the greenery and abundance of Corfu took the cake.
Last year we took our first trip to Greece and we loved it. This post will detail our final stop in Greece to the island of Corfu. I will share highlights from our trip to Corfu and all of the remarkable places we visited around the island. The first post in the series was about Santorini, followed by Milos, Naxos and Athens.
Views of Agios Geogios Beach.
Trip Planning: Before
We came to visit Corfu as a bit of an accident. I had read about the Ionian Islands in my Greek research, but I wasn’t sure if I could fit them into our itinerary. During my planning, I found a cheap flight on Norwegian Air back to NYC from Corfu via London. Even though it was far from the other islands, I found a way towork in a few days on the island before flying home.
In addition to booking our flight to and from Corfu, I reserved a rental car to get around the island. There isn’t much public transit on Corfu and you’ll need a car to reach many of the beaches. Lastly, since Corfu is such a tourist destination, I booked my Airbnb ahead of time.
Views from the walk down to Rovinia Beach, Corfu.
Getting There
We took a flight on Olympic Air from Athens to Corfu, which was under an hour. Upon arrival in Corfu, the rental car agencies are located in the airport parking lot, making it easy to pick up your rental. There are also a number of ferries between the mainland and nearby islands that travel to Corfu daily. Also, you can take a ferry to Bari, Italy.
Corfu Basics
Corfu, or Kerkyra, is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea located off the northwest coast of Greece. It is part of the Ionian Island Group. Corfu is 592.9 square kilometers in size, about 64 km in length and 32 km at it’s largest width. The island sits very close to Albania on it’s northeastern coast, and Italy on the western coast. The island was under Venetian rule for four centuries, so both the architecture and the cuisine have a heavy Venetian influence.
The population of Corfu is over 100,000 people. It has a mild Mediterranean climate that is pleasant year round. There is a large tourist presence on the island, with many tourists from nearby European countries. There are many extraordinary beaches located throughout the island, as well as a large mountainous region in the northern part of the island. In addition to the natural wonders that Corfu has to offer, there are also tons of cultural opportunities and museums to visit.
Beautiful hike to Porto Timoni Beach.
Where to Stay
We stayed at a basic Airbnb, where we rented a room in someone’s house just outside of Corfu town. We appreciated our passionate host who gave us great ideas about where to visit in our limited time on the island. There are a lot of options to stay in Corfu town, as well as around the various parts of the island. I would recommend staying near one of the island’s coasts, especially in the north or the western side of the island. There are a lot of options on Airbnb, as well as on Booking.com.
What to Eat
There are a lot of food options in Corfu, from elegant restaurants in town to basic food shacks along the beaches. There really is something for everyone. We ate at a few random restaurants during our stay, which held yummy gyros and delicious pizzas. I’d recommend exploring where you are staying for the best food options and you are likely to be impressed.
What to Do
There are so many things to do in Corfu. Most of activities we did centered around the natural beauty and the abundant culture of the island. Here are a few things that I recommend from our short time there.
Go to the Beach
One of the main reasons to visit Corfu are to visit some of the jaw-dropping beaches. Many of the beaches we went to were suggested to us from our host. Since not everything will be on the tourist lists, ask a local for advice. Despite the tiny, windy island roads we took to find some of these beaches, they were all well worth it.
Rovinia Beach
On our first day in Corfu, our host recommended an off-the-grid beach on the west of the island. He painstakingly described directions to us using Google Earth and then sent us on our way. While it was an adventure to take the one-way dirt roads to get there, the beach turned out to be a hidden gem. After paying to park in a small dirt lot, we walked down about half a mile amid olive trees to find the secluded cove of Rovinia Beach. The small pebbled beach has clear turquoise waters and it will feel like you are taking a page out of paradise. Also, bring everything you need because there are no amenities once you get there.
Loggas Beach
Loggas Beach was highly recommended on a number of places that I researched and it did not disappoint. We took a number of small country roads to get to this northwestern beach. Once there, we found a large parking lot and an easy walk down to the beach. There are a few shops and a restaurant above the beach that you can purchase snacks and food at. The beach itself is a long, narrow stretch of soft sand with lapping waves.
Hike to Porto Timoni Beach
This beach was the highlight of our beach trips in Corfu. To get to Porto Timoni Beach, you drive to the small town of Afionias up in the hills of the northwestern part of the island. After parking, you follow a small rocky path for about thirty minutes to reach the beach. The hike is moderate, but short. You can also access the beach via boat from nearby Agios Georgios Beach.
After hiking down to the beach, you are greeted with back to back coves with crystal clear waters. The beach is made up of lots of pebbles and rocks, so it is not smooth sand but still nice to lay out on. There are no amenities once you get down to the bottom. Bring lots of water for the hike and snacks, beach towels and an umbrella for the beach.
Overall, we loved the adventure of hiking to the secluded beach. It was one of our top memories from the entire trip. I definitely recommend it!
Visit the Old Venetian Fortress
On our last full day in Corfu, we explored the Old Venetian Fortress in Corfu Town. It was an interesting, if hot, view into some of the history of the island. The fortress is worth a solid hour or two of exploring, ideally accompanied with a walk into Old Town. After getting sweaty from all of that walking, we found our way to the Faliraki Bathing Beach. While it wasn’t as beautiful as some of the other beaches of our trip, it was a cool break within the city. There is also a small restaurant here where you can order drinks and snacks while you lounge around.
Views of the fortress from the Faliraki Bathing Beach.Views of the harbor from the fortress.
Walk around Corfu Old Town
I highly recommend setting aside some time for exploring Old Town. There are tons of interesting shops, cafes and restaurants to visit in this area. We enjoyed walking among the ancient cobblestones and viewing the historical architecture of the ancient city.
Running Corfu
Strava view of Corfu running.
Running in Corfu was a bit of a challenge. It was hot and there was a lot of traffic on the roads near where we stayed. Nonetheless, we made due. We were able to utilize the sidewalks along the water and that kept us pretty safe. I suspect you’d have better luck getting some runs in the smaller country roads outside of the main town.
Goodbye Greece
I’m so grateful that we got to visit this gorgeous country and all the amazing islands within it. Corfu was a wonderful ending to our Greek adventure. I would love to return to Greece some day, as well as return to the Ionian Islands to explore them some more.
Athens is both parts mesmerizing and chaotic. Wevisited Athens last year expecting it to be a short but necessary stop in between Greek Islands. What we found instead was completely different than we had anticipated. From the ancient Acropolis looming above the city, to the cute courtyard cafes spilling out onto alleyways, to the culture you can find at every turn, Athens is a true wonder. Believe me when I say that you don’t want to miss this fascinating city.
Last year we took our first trip to Greece and we loved it. This post will detail our third stop to the capital of Greece: Athens. In it, I will share highlights from our very brief visit to Athens. The first post in the series was about Santorini, followed by Milos and then Naxos. The final post of the series will be about our last stop to the Ionian Island of Corfu.
Trip Planning: Before
I spent a lot of time planning for my trip to Greece.My focus was on creating an itinerary that showed us various islands at a good pace. For Athens, I planned it as a stopover on our way from the Cycladic Islands to our last stop on the Ionian Island of Corfu.
Prior to arriving in Athens, I booked our two nights of lodging in a central location that was accessible via public transportation. I also booked our flight out of the city. Since there is good public transit in the city, we didn’t rent a car.
Getting There
We took a large ferry from Naxos to the Athens port, which was a smooth ride. I booked the ferry directly through Sea Jets. From the port, we took a subway to our hostel downtown. The subway was fairly easy to navigate once we figured out how to buy a subway ticket. Once at our hostel, we walked everywhere.
Aside from the many ferry options arriving into Athens, there is also a large airport with many daily flights to nearby islands and European cities.
Athens Basics
Athens is the capital of Greece and it’s largest city. The recorded history of the city spans over 3,400 years, with the earliest human presence between the 11th to 7th millennium BC. It’s size is around 15 square miles and there are more than 664,000 people living in the Athens metro area, with over 3 million inhabitants in the greater Athens area.
The city is fairly easy to navigate on foot, but also has a workable, while dated, subway system. ATMs are abundant and most places in the popular tourist districts offer English language information and menus.
Where to Stay
There are a lot of options for lodging in Athens. We stayed downtown in the Psirri neighborhood so that we were in walking distance to the main sights, including the Acropolis. I booked us a private room at the City Circus Hostel, which had a small, but clean room and some great common spaces. When you book directly through the website, they include breakfast in the price.
What to Do in Athens
Visit the Acropolis
With only one full day to explore Athens, we spent our time visiting the Acropolis site. We first took a run around the Acropolis, which was very impressive in the early morning. Later in the day we made a visit to enter the Acropolis. Even though it was an extremely hot visit, I am very happy that I got to see such an iconic piece of history.
This article outlines how best to visit the Acropolis and how you can buy your tickets in advance. To avoid the lines, I highly recommend getting your tickets ahead of time, as well as making your visit early in the day. Since we didn’t get our tickets beforehand, we were met with a long line. Luckily, we were able to figure out how to purchase our tickets online and got to skip the ticket line.
Inside the Acropolis it was very crowded and there were lots of people vying for good photo spots. There is also hardly any shade in the Acropolis complex, so dress appropriately if you go in summer. I also recommend bringing plenty of water with you.
Wander the Neighborhoods and Shops
The nearby neighborhoods around the Acropolis are filled with lots of shopping and food options. We meandered around the shops and got some gifts for family. Even though it was very crowded, we found it to be an interesting experience.
If you are able to spend more time in Athens, there are lots of other recommended places to visit. I have heard great things about the Acropolis Museum, as well as many of the other famous ancient structures around town. There are extensive articles about what to do in Athens. You can find some of them here or here.
What to Eat
We din’t get to fully explore Athen’s food scene due to our limited time, but there are A LOT of food options. I would recommend walking amongst the many sidewalk cafes and restaurants to see what looks good, as well as asking locals for advice.
On our second day, we tried food from TsiknaBoom, a small local restaurant that was recommended at our hostel. It had a very low-key feel and the souvlaki were amazing.
Here, here and here are a few articles for food suggestions in Athens.
Running in Athens
Running in Athens is a mesmerizing experience. As you run around, you are likely to bump into various ancient temples, artifacts or monuments. Our only run while in Athens allowed us to literally circle the Acropolis. That was definitely one of the more epic travel runs we have ever done! It was hilly and hot, but inspiring to run in the presence of such history.
Strava run in Athens.
Getting Away: Next Stop Corfu
We took a subway from our hostel to the Athens airport, which was fairly easy to navigate. We then boarded a short plane flight from Athens to the island of Corfu, which was our final stop in Greece. Once we arrived in Corfu, we were able to pick up our rental car right outside of the departure gates and head to our Airbnb.
The island of Milos is spectacular. It feels like a hidden gem, though it is starting to get more recognition recently. In fact, it wasn’t even on my radar when I first started planning our trip to Greece. After reading about it on a few travel blogs, I decided to add it to our itinerary. I am so grateful that I did. If you are visiting the Cycladic Island Group, or Greece in general, I strongly urge you to add Milos to your trip. It was by far my favorite island in the Cyclades and it is one of the most enthralling and relaxed places I have ever visited.
Last June we took our first trip to Greece and we loved it. This post will detail our second stop in Greece to the island of Milos. My first post in the series was about our stop in Santorini. Follow up posts will outline our other stops on the trip. This includes the Cycladic Islands (Santorini, Milos and Naxos), Athens, and the Ionian Island of Corfu.
Trip Planning: Before
As I mentioned in my Santorini blog post, I did a lot of research and planning before visiting Greece. My main focus was on building a good itinerary that didn’t feel too rushed. Specific to Milos, I made sure I had our transportation and lodging booked ahead of time. I researched anything related to Milos that could help me understand the island better. A few articles that helped me are here, here and here.
For transportation, I booked our ferry and rental car beforehand. Most of the islands in the area are not too far apart, so ferry hopping is easy to do. For lodging, I looked at a lot of hotels and Airbnbs, but ended up picking an Airbnb that was affordable and in a great location. I generally leave the day to day activity planning until once I have arrived.
Getting There & Around
We took a short two hour ferry from Santorini to Milos. I booked my tickets by looking at schedules on this site and then booking directly with Seajets. On the ferry you have assigned seats and you can purchase food on board. There is also an airport on Milos with direct connections to Athens.
Once we arrived at the Adámantas port, we were able to take a short walk to the car rental agency. We used our car to get everywhere and we were grateful to have it. If you’re not planning on renting, many hotels and Airbnbs offer to pick you up from the ferry port or airport. It’s important to note that there are limited public transportation options on the island. Due to how spread out everything is, I’d suggest you rent a car for at least part of your visit to experience the picturesque villages and unique beaches.
Milos Basics
Catching the sunset in Pollonia, Milos.
Milos is the fifth largest Cycladic island, at a size of roughly 58 square miles. The population is just under 5,000 people. The main language spoken on Milos is Greek, with many people also speaking English. Most of the menus at restaurants are in both Greek and English. ATMs are widely available and many places take credit card.
Milos can feel like you are on another planet with it’s otherworldly landscapes and geological formations. It was created from a series of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, which explains the lunar looking surfaces and dramatic coastlines. There are large swaths of the western part of the island that are inaccessible to tourists, with rugged terrain in some areas that should be avoided in a rental car.
The weather in Milos is hot and sunny in the summer. It was hot during our visit, so we spent most of our time at the beach to avoid the heat. We were grateful to have AC at our lodging in the evenings. Due to the location of the island, it can get quite windy at times. This is something to consider when traveling by sea.
The picturesque Zoodokos Pighi church on Milos.
Where to Stay
View from our Airbnb balcony.
There are a lot of options for lodging on Milos, with most of it located on the northern part of the island. The main lodging areas are the port of Adámantas, the main town of Plaka, and the smaller villages of Klima and Pollonia. Where you choose to stay depends a lot on where you want to be on the island. Some like to be closer to the port or in town, but we opted to be in a more tranquil village setting in close proximity to the beaches.
We stayed at a basic, but cute little Airbnb in Pollonia, which is a charming fishing village on the northeast part of the island. The village has an intimate collection of houses and fishing boats mixed in with tourist lodging and seaside restaurants. Our Airbnb had AC, a small refrigerator and a balcony looking out onto the water. Our host was very knowledgeable and gave us great advice for food, beaches and what to do with our time. We couldn’t have asked for more during our stay.
The Food
We had some amazing food on Milos. We lucked out that our Airbnb host gave us a great list of places to eat at and all of her recommendations were spot on. Even better, so many were within walking distance from where we were staying.
Seafood is everywhere on Milos.
On our first night, we visited the Armenaki Restaurant in Pollonia, which had some really yummy selections. The restaurant has outdoor seating along the beach and a staff with a sweet personal touch. Armenaki also has an extensive cellar collection of wines from all over Greece.
On our second day there, we ate at a hidden gem called ErgÃna’s Restaurant. It is located on a hilly perch in Trypiti with great views out to the sea. The food at Ergina’s was amazing and the salads were some of the best we had during our entire trip. I highly recommend making a stop there for lunch or dinner.
Delicious salad at ErgÃna’s in Trypiti.
We stopped by the Kivotos ton Gefseon bakery and restaurant repeatedly for their delicious bakery and breakfast items. The restaurant sits at the entrance to Pollonia and it is an easy stop on your way out of town. It has delicious and well priced food and baked goods with an adorable back courtyard. This place is well worth a visit for a meal or some baked goods.
In the courtyard of the Kivotos ton Gefseon bakery.
Kivotos ton Gefseon
Kivotos ton Gefseon
What To Do
Milos is relatively spread out and there are many things to do with your time. You won’t regret taking a drive around the island and visiting some of the smaller villages, churches and restaurants. Aside from the beaches, there are some cool points of history to check out. One of the most popular are the Milos Catacombs. We tried to make a visit there, but it was unfortunately closed when we went.There is also a mining museum and an archaeological museum if you are up for that type of activity.
Go To The Beaches
Papafraga Beach & Caves
The Papafraga beach and caves are more of a geographical wonder to gawk at than they are a beach to swim in. The rock and cave formations are very unique and worth checking out, even if briefly. You can hike down the craggy rocks to the water to see the underside of the cave area. Many people do go swimming, but we opted to take some pics from above and move on to the next spot.
Algomandra Beach
The Algomandra Beach is very beautiful cove-like setting with a small beach and crystal clear turquoise water. We were able to lay out on a small area of the beach and take a dip in the cool and refreshing water.
Relaxing at Alogomandra beach.
Sarakiniko Beach
The Sarakiniko Beach feels like you are on the moon. The lightly hued rock formations are in stark contrast to the emerald blue water and sky. There is an inlet of water that enters the rocks where most people fan out to swim or lay out. This area doesn’t seem so much like a beach, but more like a rocky swimming hole. I recommend making a stop here to check out the fascinating rock formations and taking a quick swim.
Sitting on the rock formations of Sarakiniko.
Paliochori Beach
The Paliochori Beach was the largest, most typical feeling beach that we visited while on Milos. It has some really cool colors due to the geothermal rock formations. The water is a beautiful dark turquoise that nicely contrasts with the orange red hue of the sand and rocks. There are chairs and umbrellas for rent all along the beach that offer protection from the sun. The water was chilly, but it helped beat the heat. We enjoyed our time here and I would recommend making a visit.
RUNNING ON MILOS
We took all of our runs in Milos on the roads around Pollonia and directly outside of town. Since Milos is not super crowded like Santorini, we felt safe enough running on the main roads. We were vigilant about cars and ran opposite traffic. Due to the heat, we took our runs in the evening, which was a lot cooler. The sunset views on our runs were absolutely incredible.
Running around town in Pollonia.
Strava run on Milos island roads.
Getting Away: Scary Ferry to Naxos
We took a ferry to get to our next stop of Naxos. The morning we were due to head out, our Airbnb host warned us that the wind was bad and that the sea would be rough. We proceeded as planned to our ferry. During the 4-5 hour ride, we were tossed around as if we were in a washing machine. It was an extremely unpleasant experience, but I learned a lot from it. Mainly that you should always pay attention to local advice. If it is very windy out and the sea is rough, change your plans accordingly. Thankfully, our next ferry ride to Athens was extremely smooth sailing.
Visit Milos
In short, we loved the chill atmosphere, stunning beaches and scrumptious food of Milos. I hope to return again some day and I recommend that you add it to your next trip, too.
Last June we took our first trip to Greece and we loved it. This post will detail our first stop in Greece to the island of Santorini. Follow up posts will outline our other stops on the trip. This includes the Cycladic Islands (Santorini, Milos and Naxos), Athens, and the Ionian Island of Corfu.
These posts are by no means meant to be a comprehensive guide to Greece. There are tons of ways to take a trip here and many towns, islands and places to visit. I was a bit overwhelmed in my planning to choose the *best* route. However, there is no real *best* route. How you visit Greece should be what works best for you. Our trip just barely scratched the surface of what you can see and do. Take this as one example of a trip and feel free to use it to build your *best* trip there in the future.
Santorini has a population of about 15,000 people, but it swells with visitors during the summer months. Peak travel time is June through September and you can expect crowded hot spots and traffic filled island roads. You can avoid most of that by visiting in shoulder season from October to November or March to May.
View from Oia, Santorini.
Is Santorini Worth the Crowds?
I am somewhat conflicted when it comes to Santorini and how I would recommend it (or not). On one hand it is super touristy. Like tacky touristy in the overwhelming nature of the crowds, souvenirs and selfie sticks. We visited the island in June, which is high tourist season. After our trip, I would recommend you avoid Santorini during that time. Not only is it hot in June, but there are tons of people and getting around can be challenging.
However, it is also a very majestic island that is worth a visit. The cascading cliffs and the coastline views from the caldera side of the island are stunning. If you visit in shoulder season, you will likely have lighter crowds and cooler temperatures. When you do go, marvel at the beauty of the gleaming blue sea. Puzzle at the layout of white stucco houses down the cliffside, one built into the next. Take in the red sand of the volcanic Red Beach. Explore the alleyways filled with shops and restaurants and bakeries. And stand in awe of the glowing orange sunsets from a perch in Oia.
Checking out that famed Oia sunset.
Trip Planning: Before
I did a lot of research before visiting Greece. The hardest part was narrowing down where to go and what to do for our two week itinerary. It can be overwhelming to narrow down all of the information since there are so many good options. Even after a trip there under my wings, I still haven’t seen the tip of it. I hope to return to Greece someday to grasp more of the beauty and magic of the country.
It is advisable to travel to Greece, and Santorini, with a plan. Santorini is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Europe, so knowing where you will stay ahead of time will save you a lot of stress. Since the island is small, there are limited lodging options. If you are looking to stay in hot ticket places with views of the caldera, book ahead. Also, if you plan to rent a car, you might want to do that beforehand as well.
I got a ton of help planning my itinerary from various travel blogs. Santorini Dave has all types of lists and maps of the island. You can also check out Lonely Planet, Hand Luggage Only and Nomadic Matt for some trip guidance.
Getting There
There are no direct flights to Santorini from the US, Canada or Australia. Most often you will have to fly through Europe to get there. We took a flight from Amsterdam to Santorini on the budget airline Transavia. Our flight only took 3 hours and it was an easy experience. Do some quick searching on places like Kayak to find an affordable flight that fits your needs.
You can also get to Santorini via ferry from many of the nearby islands or from Athens. We took a ferry when we left for our next stop of Milos and the journey wasn’t too bad.
Santorini: Things to know
The first thing you will notice about Santorini in summer is the heat. We had read the weather reports, but did not expect the heat to hit us as hard as it did. It cools down a bit in the evenings and mornings, but once the sun comes out in full force, the heat can be intense. I suggest looking for a place with an AC and avoiding walking around mid-day.
Also, we rented a car to get around the island.I would recommend you figure out what types of activities you plan to do to factor in if you need to rent. For example, on our first day we walked down to Amoudi Bay and barely drove and the second day we did a boat tour so we didn’t need a car. Ultimately, we may not have needed a car for our four day visit.
Food options and restaurants are aplenty on Santorini. We asked our Airbnb host for advice, which is a good place to start for recommendations. Many of the cliffside restaurants, especially those with views of the sunset, can be expensive. We skipped those places and chose family style and casual spots off the main strip in Oia. We returned to Pitogyros many times for the yummy and low cost gyros. Many of the travel blogs have extensive lists of restaurant recommendations.
Miguel modeling on the steps outside our Airbnb.
Where to Stay
We stayed at a beautiful Airbnb located in Oia with a great cliffside view of the sea. The placewas a typical cave house, like many that dot the cliffs of Santorini. Due to the material and structure of these cave houses, they are able to retain heat in winter and cooler temperatures during summer months. This lodging was our big splurge of the trip, but we loved staying here for all the amenities it had to offer, including the unbeatable views.
We had a kitchen for making a few basic meals, a patio and an AC in our bedroom. Like many places on the island, there were a lot of steps to get there, but it was very manageable.
If you plan to visit Santorini during summer months, I would recommend staying in one of the less touristy towns. While I enjoyed Oia, I felt that it was overwhelming because of all of the tourists who flocked there.
If you can, it is worth it to splurge on a place on the caldera side. This is more affordable in shoulder season. If you are looking for a lower budget option, there are many nice places inland, as well as on the other side of the island near the beaches.
What to Do
Donkeys headed down the steep stairs to Amoudi Bay.
Amoudi Bay
After arriving from the airport, we set down our things and headed to Amoudi Bay. It is a short, but steep hike from Oia, with a total of 300 steps down from the trailhead. As you hike down, you will likely be walking alongside donkeys, who are used to carry people and supplies to and from the bay. We opted to walk down, which was hot and sweaty, but not bad.
Upon reaching the bay, you will see that it is surrounded by deep red cliffs, contrasted by the glistening dark turquoise water and white buildings. There is a small slab of concrete and rock that you can jump off to take a swim. We did that immediately. Aside from that, the bay is fairly small. It is dotted with a few lodging options and a series of similarly overpriced seafood restaurants. We ate at one called Sunset Amoudi and it was quite good. Mainly, we enjoyed relaxing in the breeze amid all the beauty of the bay.
Miguel enjoying the waters of Amoudi Bay.
Santorini Boat Tours
We did a sailing trip with Sunset Oia Santorini Sailing our first full day there. They offer a range of sailing trips that visit the famed coves, beaches and nearby islands. We did a half day Santorini Gems tour, which was on a catamaran with a small group size. It allowed us to visit places we wouldn’t have been able to reach in our car.
We got picked up in the late morning and bused to the Amoudi Bay port. The tour visited a few different spots on the island, including the hot springs, White Beach and Red Beach. After arriving at each location, we were allowed to get out and swim. Around noon, the guides made us a delicious lunch. Overall it was a fun experience. While we didn’t get to walk on the beaches, we saw a bunch of nice spots from the water. I would recommend taking a boat trip as a great way to see another side of the island.
Boat tours are very common on Santorini.
Perissa Beach
Views on Perissa beach.
We spent our next full day at Perissa Beach on the other side of the island from Oia. This beach was easy to get to and parking wasn’t too bad. On the beach, there were tons of restaurants that offered umbrellas and beach chairs for a daily fee. Some were free if you ordered a certain amount of food or drinks at the restaurant. I definitely enjoyed staying out of the sun and relaxing under an umbrella.
Perissa beach, along with it’s neighbor Perivolos, are peaceful black sand beaches with lots of food and drink options. The beachfelt less crowded than other parts of the island, which was very welcomed. You can learn more here about other Santorini beaches. I will add though, that in comparison to the beaches we found on Milos and Corfu, Santorini beaches don’t even compare. In short, don’t come to Santorini for the beaches!
The Running Scene
Views from Fira-Oia trail looking at Oia in the distance.
Santorini can be a bit challenging when it comes to getting runs in. The benefit was that there was a fairly accessible local trail that started near our Airbnb. Outside of that, the small island roads and the traffic make going on runs and staying safe somewhat difficult.
For this reason, I stuck to the nearby Fira-Oia trail. This is a 10.5km point to point hiking trail between the two towns. The trail is a bit technical and has a good amount of elevation gain. On the upside, it is safely away from cars and held amazing coastal views. I saw a bunch of hikers on my runs and I was excited to see a few fellow trail runners. Since it gets really hot in summer, I recommend you get your run in early and bring water with you.
Running on the Fira-Oia trail.
A Strava view of my trail run.
If you are staying on other parts of the island, you might be able to get a good run in along the beach or on a more remote road. Since we were based in Oia, it felt safest to stick to the trails.
Reading on Santorini
If you are into books and small bookstores, I highly recommend visiting Atlantis Books while you are in Santorini. It is located right on the main pedestrian path in Oia and easy to find. They offer a wide range of books in different languages. There are books literally stacked up to the ceilings inside the bookstore. For me, this was like a dream!
Enjoying all the reading wonder in Atlantis Books.
Getting Away: Next Stop Milos
From Santorini we took a ferry to the island of Milos. I looked up the ferry schedules ahead of time using the Greek Ferries website. I then booked directly with SeaJets. If you pre-ordered your tickets, you can pay a small fee to print out your tickets at the ferry terminal. You can also wing it and book when you arrive. If you rent a car, you will have to return your rental at the airport and then take a taxi to the ferry port.
For the holidays this year, Miguel and I took advantage of our time off and decided to take a trip to California. Instead of staying out east in the cold, we wanted to escape the city and see some national parks instead. Through this trip, we got to gain a greater appreciation for nature. Many of the places we visited were new for Miguel, which made it more exciting to me.
The plan for the first part of the trip was to fly into Los Angeles and use my mom’s house as a home base. From there, we would work our way north up to the Bay Area. Our trip by no means was long enough to see everything that I wanted us to see or do. But it allowed for some pretty spectacular sights in a short time.
This post will outline our trip to California in detail. More information about the running highlights from our trip can be found here.
Yosemite National Park morning views.
Trip Planning: before
I started planning for this trip about six months out. I began by doing general research for possible itineraries and places to visit. Once I found a route, I looked up potential flights, car rentals and lodging. Since I have family in California, I built this trip around staying with them when possible to lower costs. Obviously that is not always an option, but it worked out well for this trip.
My main logistical decision was if we would work our way north or south. I did some price checking and estimated what was the most cost effective. In the end I decided on going north. We would fly into the LA area and return from SFO. There are a lot of ways you can do a trip like this, so you should figure out your needs to do what is best for you.
Hiking around Muir Woods.
Booking transportation & Lodging
For flights, I use Kayak to search prices before I buy anything. Flights for this trip were more expensive because it was over the holidays. I monitored them for a while until I saw a price drop and then purchased them immediately. You can reduce the price by flying off peak times or by purchasing your ticket a few months out.
We would need to have our own car for a good chunk of this trip, but we were also flying in and out of different airports. I strategized the most cost effective way to do that. I ended up booking two rental cars, one for Southern California and one for the Bay Area. It is usually a lot cheaper to rent and return a car to the same location than a point to point rental.
For lodging, I looked up Airbnb first, as they have some good low cost options with kitchens. I also checked out Booking.com and other travel blogs to see if there were hotels, hostels or lodges that were recommended. For Yosemite, I searched directly through their lodge vendor since I wanted to stay inside the park while we were there.
Running the trails at Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
outline of an Adventure
I got to use my America the Beautiful parks pass a few times on this trip. The annual pass grants you access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the US. After purchasing the pass in August, I wanted to maximize the pass as much as I could on this trip. In total, we went to 2 national parks, 1 national monument, and a national seashore on our California adventure. We visited:
After spending a few days relaxing, we headed out to Joshua Tree National Park. The 800,000 acre park sits just 140 miles east of Los Angeles in Southern California. I hadn’t visited in years and I had forgotten just how magical Joshua Tree was. It is unlike anything you have ever seen and it will change how you feel about the desert. I highly recommend it to anyone.
Joshua Tree National Park is a place where the Mohave Desert and the Colorado Desert meet. It is filled with cacti, trees, shrubs, lizards and other desert dwelling plants, birds and animals. More information about the history and make-up of Joshua Tree can be found here and here. There is a fee to enter the park or you can use your America the Beautiful parks pass for covered entry.
We stayed both nights at an Airbnb in a fairly remote location. I probably wouldn’t choose that spot again. There are two small towns at the main entrances of the park, Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, where most of the lodging is located. I would recommend staying in the Joshua Tree area, as that was where most of the restaurants and amenities were. We ate at Pie for the People! and were surprised how much we loved it. You can also stay farther out, but it will make beating the crowds much harder. Additionally, there are campgrounds within the park that offer basic camping options.
Joshua Tree National Park hiking on the Barker Dam Trail.
Joshua Tree Hiking and exploring
We had a little over two days to spend in Joshua Tree. We arrived late on the first day and got to see the sunset over the desert. The next day we woke up early to spend a full day at the park. I recommend arriving early if you are visiting during the peak winter season. There are limited parking spots at the popular trail heads and you will want to beat the crowds. It should also be noted that there are not many water facilities inside the park. It’s essential to prepare yourself by bringing lots of water, snacks and layers of clothing. When we visited in December, the temperatures were quite cold and we wore our jackets the entire time.
Hidden Valley Nature Trail hike.
Joshua Tree is huge and there are lots of great hikes and places to visit for any type of activity level. While we weren’t able to do any trail runs in Joshua Tree, we loved hiking around. Since we wanted to see as much as possible, we did a series of short and easy hikes on our visit. We went to the following places based on various recommendations:
Hidden Valley Nature Trail: Easy, beautiful and short loop hike
Barker Dam Trail: Easy and relaxed hike with some cool views
Ryan Mountain Trail: Out and back hike that is moderately strenuous with spectacular views
Skull Rock Trail: Quick pitstop to this highly overrated IG hype location
Cholla Cactus Garden: Easy walk and one of my favorite areas (see below)
Next Step: driving from la to yosemite
Our drive home from Joshua Tree was kinda crazy because we hit a snowstorm in the high desert in our compact rental car. Yikes! And upon returning to the LA area, we took some down time to recover from getting a little sick. We made sure to stop for cookies one more time at Some Crust Bakery. The following day we dropped off our rental car since we would be hitching a ride north with my dad. He picked us up that evening before heading out the next day. His plan was to leave by 5am to avoid the LA traffic. Even though a 4am wake up call sounds rough, it is highly advised if you are leaving from Southern California.
Crossing the Tejon Pass towards Yosemite.
The night before heading out we packed up our things and prepped lots of snacks for the 6-7 hour drive. My dad had done this drive many times before, so he was well prepared with snacks, rest stops and timing to avoid traffic. This was huge. We snuck out on the darkened LA freeways and we easily hit the Tejon Pass by dawn. As we climbed the pass, daylight started to creep in, exposing the snow covered hillsides along the highway. We had lucked out, the pass was just a few days out of being shut down completely from a snow storm. The car crested the ridge and we rode into the valley below as the storied California farmlands fanned out on both sides. This eventually made way to a mountainous forested area that meandered into the national park.
We made it! Entrance to Yosemite National Park.
yosemite national park
While we only got to spend three days and two nights in Yosemite National Park, I could have easily spent weeks there. The 1,200 square mile park is California’s most popular national park and there is no question why. It is truly mesmerizing and deserves at least one visit, but hopefully many. There is an entry fee to visit the park, or you can use your America the Beautiful parks pass for covered entry. Since we visited over the holidays, the place was slightly less crowded, but surprisingly still quite full. I can only imagine how crazy it gets during summer.
Mirror Lake, Yosemite National Park
For our visit to Yosemite, we opted to stay inside the park in their lodges. While a bit more pricey, it was very much worth it to be able to hike or run from your door. If you stay outside the park, you will have to queue up each day with a long line of cars for entry. Due to the popularity of the park, I recommend booking as early as you can to find a spot. We stayed our first night in a cabin in Curry Village and our second night at the Yosemite Valley Lodge. Both were beautiful in their own way, with Curry Village more rustic and Yosemite Valley Lodge a step up in decor and price. Those looking to splurge should check out Yosemite’s most famed lodge, the historic Ahwahnee.
Our cabin in the Curry Village at Yosemite NP.
There is much to be said about Yosemite’s many trails that can’t all fit here. Most of the trails that ventured above the valley floor were closed due to icy winter conditions while we were there. Prior to heading to Yosemite, I recommend looking up some of their trails and hikes. There is a great transit system that drops off visitors at most trail heads throughout the park, making everything more accessible without a car.
Us posing awkward at Yosemite Valley Falls.
Getting to the Bay Area from Yosemite
I did a lot of research prior to figure out how best to get from Yosemite to Northern California and there wasn’t a completely clear answer. What I ended up with was getting dropped off at the Merced train station and taking an Amtrak train north. There’s also a YARTS bus that can also take you from Yosemite to the train station. It’s a bit of a logistical challenge, and we did miss our train going north so we had to wait, but once we got on the train it was easy. We arrived in downtown San Francisco and hopped in a Lyft to pick up our rental car. From there we drove north of San Francisco to where we were staying for the next two nights.
Exploring Muir Woods National Monument
The following day we took an amazing morning trail run from our Airbnb and stopped by the yummy Shoreline Coffee Shop for some breakfast. Afterwards, we headed over to the Muir Woods National Monument. Muir Woods requires you purchase a parking permit prior to arrival. We booked our parking a few months out and the parking lot was packed when we arrived. When reserving, you chose a 30 minute arrival window and then pay the park fee separately to enter. You can also enter using your America the Beautiful pass.
Muir Woods is filled with old growth coastal redwoods that will enchant you. The area to hike within Muir Woods consists of mostly easy, well marked trails around the redwood giants. If you would like to go longer, there are options to break out to adjoining trails that offer a birds eye views of the area. Plan to bring some snacks and spend half a day hiking around and breathing in the fresh air.
View of our Mill Valley airstream Airbnb.
We stayed at a funky Airbnb very close to the hills in Mill Valley. We loved the location and its close proximity to some cool trails and Muir Woods.
Hiking around Muir Woods.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
We had some great runs in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which covers a 91 mile swath of coastline spanning out from the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge. I highlight the runs we did here. Access to the park is free and there is a vast trail network in this protected area. Check out my running page for more links to runs I’ve done in other places we’ve visited.
Views from the trails in Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Our last stop on this whirlwind California trip was to the Point Reyes National Seashore. This was our last section of the trip and we had less than two days to check out this amazing location. Leaving Mill Valley, we drove up the scenic CA Route 1 panoramic highway, which offered us amazing views. We saw all types of beaches and coastal environments, misty forests and small towns along the way. We stopped in at Stinson Beach for a picnic lunch, which is my favorite beach in this area.
Miguel chilling at Stinson Beach along CA Route 1.
We then drove directly into Point Reyes National Seashore, a large protected area in Northern California. Access to the park is free. We parked at Drakes Beach and got extremely lucky because it was elephant seal mating and pupping season. At the beach we saw quite a few elephant seals strewn out as if they were dead. There were volunteer docents to ensure visitors didn’t get too close to the seals while they were resting. Occasionally, the seals would lift up their heads and utter a long, low groan, and then lay their heads back down again. It was such a lovely experience.
After checking out the elephant seals, we took the shuttle up to visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse. We braced ourselves against the wind and climbed down the 313 steps to explore this lighthouse built in 1870.
There are a lot of options for lodging in the Point Reyes area. You can choose from tons of cute hotels, Airbnbs and camping. We stayed at the HI Point Reyes Hostel, which was very clean, had a great communal kitchen and some nice common areas. I picked it because it was one of the few places located inside Point Reyes, unlike other lodging in adjoining towns.
Outdoor view of the HI Point Reyes Hostel.
The next morning we woke up early and visited the yummy Bovine Bakery in Point Reyes Station. Then we drove into San Francisco to the airport. We had such a great trip to California and we will definitely be back!
Point Reyes National Seashore.
trip Reading
Unlike my other travel adventures, I didn’t read as much on this trip. I’m not sure if it was due to being busy exploring nature, but I read much less. What I did read, though, I liked. My two books for this California trip were:
